Expectations From The Proposed Digital India Act

Currently, the Information Technology Act, 2000, which came into effect on October 17, 2000 ("IT Act") is the primary legislation governing and regulating digital activities in India. Despite undergoing several amendments in the last two decades, the IT Act has become obsolete since the fundamental principles of the IT Act were established prior to the emergence of e-commerce and social media platforms. Although these digital services have enabled citizens to access healthcare, education, and entertainment through online channels, they have also presented challenges such as cybersecurity threats, data privacy concerns, and the proliferation of hate speech and fake news. The IT Act has not been able to tackle issues arising out of recent innovations such as e-commerce, social media platforms, online gaming portals, AI tools and the metaverse. As such, a new digital law that aligns with global standards and modern technologies, is long overdue.